ZURICH PREMIERSHIP rugby returns to Madejski Stadium on Sunday when London Irish take on England's World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson and his Leicester Tigers (3pm).

Ambitious Irish are eager to get back to winning ways following their 23-16 defeat at Gloucester last week and to put an abrupt end to their dreadful home record of last season when they lost five of their last six Premiership matches at Madejski Stadium.

Their only grain of comfort came from a 15-15 draw with NEC Harlequins, the team they beat 18-12 in this season's Premiership opener at Twickenham a fortnight ago.

Their priorities on Sunday will be to cut out the mistakes that cost them dearly at Kingsholm after they had taken a 10-0 lead.

Fly-half Barry Everitt said: "Harlequins wasn't a pretty game, but at the end of the day you want four points so it was a great result for us.

"At Gloucester I thought we played very well in the first half and for a bit of the second half, but we lost concentration and that lost us the game."

But he added: "We haven't fired on all cylinders yet. There's a lot more in the tank and hopefully we'll get it together this week with a top-grade performance."

Everitt will need to be razor sharp on Sunday, not only in his distribution of the ball but to avoid the attentions of the Tigers back row, spearheaded by another World Cup hero, flanker Neil Back.

Everitt admitted: "Back is a clever player and I'll have to have my wits about me, but the Premiership is such a high standard you are asked questions in every match."

Irish will parade some of their new stars for the first time, including Scott Staniforth and Mike Catt but Robbie Russell (hand) and Peter Polous (shoulder) are sidelined.

"Scotty has been very good in his first few games, even though he has not had as many opportunities as he should have had, and I think Delon Armitage has come on and played well," said Everitt.

"Mike Catt is a great addition and we can only get better as the season goes on."

Tigers arrive having won one and lost one of their opening Premiership games, although last week's win over Leeds suggested the trials and tribulations of last season are well behind them and that they are getting back to their old form.

Everitt admitted: "They are difficult to beat even off-form. We have to meet fire with fire and match them up front.

"We have a very good pack and when they are on form they are difficult to beat."

In a surprise tactical switch, the only change to last week's team is in the pack where Irish have switched skipper Ryan Strudwick into the back row and given young Nick Kennedy a run alongside in-form Bob Casey in the second row.